Marvin Kornegay of the USS Texas at D-Day

From AR-15.com  "Air and Naval Bombardment of the Normandy beaches."

The USS Texas was at D-Day, the second-oldest dreadnaught  in the fleet and though obsolete by then as major fighting ship, its ten 14-inch guns were still able to pack quite a wallop.  It was stationed just off Point de Hoc that morning.

As the Texas sat offshore  of Omaha Beach, her crew had front row seats to the carnage referenced by Captain Baker.  Seaman Second Class Marvin Kornegay manned a five-inch gun on the Texas and while he maintained his confidence in the result of the coming battle, he cringed as he watched the Allied craft  fall to the sea in the pre-dawn aerial bombardment.

This reaction was repeated as Kornegay watched landing craft explode from well-placed German mortar rounds.

At 0550, the Texas got her first chance that day to demonstrate the power of Allied naval fire.  Targeting Pointe du Hoc with her main 14 inch battery and strongpoints surrounding Omaha Beach Exit D-1 with her secondary armament (Kornegay was on the secondary armament), 260 shells were hurled at the Germans over 40 minutes.

A painting of the Texas and a picture of it today accompanies the blog thread.

--GreGen